Data Refresh Limitations in Power BI

Data refresh in Power BI is subject to certain limitations, particularly in terms of frequency, duration, and the number of refreshes allowed per day. These limitations can vary depending on your Power BI licensing model. Here are some key considerations:

1. Data Refresh Frequency:
• Power BI Pro users typically have a limit on the number of daily refreshes they can perform. By default, this limit is 8 refreshes per day for datasets in shared capacity, and 48 refreshes per day for datasets in dedicated capacity (Premium).
• Power BI Premium users may have higher refresh frequency limits, depending on the capacity SKU.
2. Data Refresh Duration:
• Each data refresh operation is subject to a maximum duration, which can vary based on your licensing model and the underlying data source.
• Power BI Pro users may have shorter refresh durations compared to Premium users. For example, a single refresh operation might be limited to 30 minutes for Pro users, while Premium users may have longer refresh durations.
3. Concurrent Refreshes:
• Power BI limits the number of concurrent refresh operations that can be performed on a dataset. This limitation is more relevant in shared capacity environments where resources are shared among multiple users.
• Power BI Premium offers higher concurrency limits compared to Power BI Pro.
4. Scheduled Refresh:
• Scheduled refresh allows you to automate the refresh process at specific intervals (e.g., daily, weekly). The frequency of scheduled refreshes may be subject to the limitations mentioned above.
5. On-Demand Refresh:
• On-demand refresh allows users to manually trigger a refresh operation. The number of on-demand refreshes allowed per day may be subject to the same limitations as scheduled refreshes.
6. DirectQuery and Live Connections:
• DirectQuery and live connections to certain data sources may have additional limitations on data refresh, query complexity, and performance.
7. API Refresh:
• Power BI provides APIs for programmatically triggering data refresh operations. The frequency and limitations of API refresh may align with the constraints mentioned above.

It's essential to review the specific limitations and capabilities associated with your Power BI licensing model and plan your data refresh strategy accordingly. Regular monitoring of refresh operations and resource usage can help ensure that your datasets remain up-to-date and accessible to users.